


Blind Date

by sariane



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Blind Date, Humor, M/M, Post-Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-12
Updated: 2015-11-12
Packaged: 2018-05-01 06:07:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5195033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sariane/pseuds/sariane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve gets set up on a blind date.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blind Date

**Author's Note:**

> Originally [posted on tumblr](http://sarriane.tumblr.com/post/127618308110) in response to a prompt by ereshai!

Steve is _not_ nervous. He's busted into fully armed and hostile HYDRA facilities without hesitation. He has nothing to worry about, not today.

But that doesn't explain why he's standing outside of the restaurant, palms sweating, and compulsively fiddling with his cell phone. Steve jumps when his phone vibrates in his hand with a new message.

**Sam** : _hows the date going?_

Steve frowns.

_I haven't met him yet,_ he types back.

**Sam:** _rly? what r u, scared??_

Steve frowns at his phone. He knows what Sam is doing, and he really, really doesn't want any part in this. He's going to make Steve feel like this is a challenge, and dare him to go in there. Just like he did after the VA support meeting last week, when Daisy had tried to talk Steve into going on a blind date.

"You're into dudes, right?" she said, smiling at Steve. Steve had nodded. "Well, he's _perfect_ for you, seriously. He fixed up my car for me, he works as a mechanic in Brooklyn. He's a vet, super interesting, wicked hilarious, and hot as hell – he works out a lot. I think he's a bodybuilder...? He's not into art or anything, but he likes that old music you listen to. And, I'm willing to put money down that he wouldn't give a shit about the whole, y'know, Captain America thing."

Steve had begun to refuse when Sam interrupted him.

"That sounds almost perfect for you, Steve," Sam said with a smirk. "What's the catch, Daisy?"

Daisy laughed, "He's kind of an asshole. He's always grumpy and snarky. Hard to impress." She winked at Steve. "You might be good for him."

"Oh, man," Sam said, shaking his head. Then, he had turned to Steve with a twinkle in his eye and said, "Sounds like that might be too high a mark for you, huh, Steve?"

So now, Steve is standing on the sidewalk outside an old Italian restaurant, staring at his phone and wishing he wasn't so damn early to a stupid date. He's beginning to feel a little stupid.

Another message pops up from Sam.

**Sam:** _it's just a guy, steve. and it's not even the red skull._

Steve sighs. He knows he's being ridiculous, getting nervous over a stupid date. He hasn't dated in awhile, really – he'd gone on one or two of the dates Natasha had recommended, _eventually,_ but they hadn't worked out. It's been a long time since then, a few years. The New Avengers are busier than ever.

And Steve – well, he's not. He's lonely, honestly, now that he's gotten used to this time period, this team, this...group of strange and crazy friends he's come to love.

Maybe it's time, he thinks. Maybe this is what he needs.

Steve picks up his phone and types a message to Sam:

_I am truly fucked. Going in. See you on the other side._

*

"Good thing I wasn't the only one who was early, I thought I'd be sitting here alone eating breadsticks for a half hour," Steve jokes as he pulls out a seat at the corner table, where Daisy had told him his date would be waiting. "You're Jay, right? I'm Steve." Steve pulls out a chair and sits down before he finally locks eyes with his date.

The recognition is instantaneous.

Steve stares at Bucky, and Bucky stares right back at him.

"Steve?" Bucky says.

"Yeah," Steve answers. Bucky looks concerned, his face twisted into a scowl. He looks ready to bolt. "Yeah, it's me. Bucky –"

"Daisy told me you went by ' _Grant,'_ " Bucky frowns. "Goddamn it, I knew I shouldn't have agreed to this."

Steve feels even more caught off-guard than he had a moment ago.

"She told me _your name_ was 'Jay,'" Steve counters. "What kind of name is that?"

"Short for 'James,' jerk," Bucky replies. "What, d'you think I'd really go by 'Bucky' again in 2018? How long would that cover last?"

"Well, I sure as hell wouldn't have agreed to go on a date with another 'Bucky,' so probably a lot longer than _this,_ " Steve says. "Bucky. What the hell?"

"What?" Bucky shrugs. He crosses his arms over his chest and leans back in his chair. "So what, I let someone set me up on a blind date. So sue me."

"Bucky," Steve sighs, pinching the ridge of his nose. "Bucky. I haven't seen you in _four years._ Since D.C."

Bucky does sober up at that. Steve takes a moment to look over him. He's wearing a plaid button down shirt and a pair of jeans that aren't too scraped up (probably the best he owns). His long hair is tied back in a messy ponytail. He looks somewhere between a redneck and an indie rocker. (If said redneck rocker was _ripped as hell_.)

Bucky looks...good, if Steve's going to be honest. Like there's a whole life behind those work-boots and the calluses on his hands, not just a cover story.

"I...took a vacation," Bucky says in a strangled voice, looking down at his hands. "Spent a long time chasing HYDRA."

"I spent a long time chasing _you,_ " Steve says.

"I know," Bucky sighs, "that's why I kept running. I needed time, I guess. So I made my way back home, started working at a machine shop in Jersey." Steve makes a face, but Bucky continues talking. "I moved around a lot at first, 'till I realized no one was following anymore."

Steve looks down at his lap guiltily. "I was busy," he says. "With the Avengers. With HYDRA, at first. Then, Ultron. And my new team."

"I know," Bucky admits. "I kept track of you. And eventually, when no one was following me anymore, I moved back to Brooklyn. Got a job. An apartment." Bucky shrugs awkwardly. "I'm working on getting a motorcycle, too, honestly. And my neighbors keep trying to set me up, whether it's a boyfriend or a _cat,_ and –"

"You hate cats," Steve snorts.

"Not anymore," Bucky shrugs. "I don't know. Things changed, Steve," he says, although that is more than obvious. "I got my memories back. I, uh – well, honestly, I don't know. I kind of imagined this would go differently. Of course."

"The date, or our reunion?" Steve asks wryly.

"Well, I _thought_ I was gonna get lucky," Bucky winks.

"And how did you imagine the _date_?" Steve asks. Bucky snorts.

"I always thought – I don't know, that I'd appear on top of a building during some crisis and shoot something. That you'd see me, and we'd just. I don't know."

Steve watches Bucky for a long moment. He looks healthy, freshly shaven and washed, and so _modern._ Steve realizes with a jolt that he hasn't imagined Bucky in any modern clothes, besides the Winter Soldier uniform. No wonder he didn't recognize him until now.

"Lock eyes and run into each other's arms?" Steve suggests. He shrugs. "Well, you never came to my rescue, Soldier."

"Honestly, I probably would've just ran away," Bucky mutters. "I'm not so good at confrontation, anymore."

"You're still here," Steve notes.

"Yeah," Bucky sighs. "Because Daisy'll kill me if she finds out I skipped out early on a date with _Captain America._ "

"Is this still a date?" Steve raises an eyebrow. "I thought this was the awkward reunion."

"Honestly," Bucky murmurs, "I think I'd much rather this be a date."

Steve stretches back in his chair and smirks.

"We can do that," he says.

*

**Sam:** _omg you brought him back 2 the TOWER???_   
**Sam:** _how forward of u, arent u supposed 2 court first?_  
**Steve:** _Goodnight, Sam._

**Sam:** _tonys asking me why your new fling isnt leaving after breakfast_

**Sam:** _apparently he's sleeping on the living couch now???_  
**Sam:** _steve it's polite for ur one nite stands to leave eventually  
_**Sam:** _did u go on a date or pick up a squatter_

**Sam:** _STEVE CALL ME BACK IMMEDIATELY PLEASE STEVE_  
**Sam:** _STEVE_

 

_The End._

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't had very much time to write lately, so I'm living vicariously through posting short tumblr fic. My apologies to anyone who follows my work on AO3. I post more slapdash work [in my fic tag on my tumblr](http://sarriane.tumblr.com/tagged/i-write-fanfiction).


End file.
